Current learnings from this little modding project
- Take your time and pause often to reset your mind – it will take longer than you think. You will make mistakes. Everything can be resolved by creative thinking though…
- Wear a mask and goggles when using a drill or a dremel
- If you are not comfortable soldering and/or don’t have endless patience – get EMG pickups.
- If something goes wrong with soldering/connecting (no sound/distortion) use continuity mode (resistance) on a multi meter for checkimg all soldering points, starting at the output jack. Test pickups directly by connecting them to the output jack using alligator clips.
- If you use copper foil to cover the cavities, use isolation tape on the pots to avoid a short cut.
- If you drill a new hole for the output jack, measure depth with the plug inserted
- Check for small differences with metric and imperial sizes. This is most relevant for new tuners. Use size information from different web sites as some manufaturers don’t understand metric units, ie 9/16" is not 14mm, but 14.3mm; 11/16" is not 17mm but 17.5mm.
- Always cover your bass when soldering, drilling or dremeling
- Be careful with chrome parts – they scratch more easily than you think. Chrome scratches are not easily recovered.
- If in doubt, ask BassBuzz forum members!
Best tools: dremel, counter sink, multi meter, alligator clips!
Now waiting for the foil for the pickguards and control plate.
Next week I will do the same with Ronin, but will install EMG GZRs…